Driving means for watercraft



July 3, 1937.

A'. RYBA DRIVING MEANS FOR WATERCRAFT Filed Aug. s; 193e Patented duty 13, i937 DiRlVllNiG MEANS FOR WATERCRAFT Anton Ryba, Bolzano, Italy Application August 3, 193s, serial Nc. 94,085 In Austria June Z1, 1934 4 claims. (ci. 11s-1s) v The present invention relates to driving means, more particularly for watercraft wherein quantities of' water enclosed in a vessel are expelled rearwardly by explosion of an explosive mixture in such a manner as to produce a reaction pressure adapted to propel the craft.' In order to obtain with such a driving means a useful practical efiiciency, it isneccssary to conserve the relative movement of the Water in the reaction vessel. The reaction tube must have no bends or variations in diameter.

In order to full this condition, the reaction tube must be perfectly straight and of the same diameter throughout so that the movements `of the actuating water are not hindered during the filling or charging thereof. No closing members such as baffles or the like which cause loss of energy when actuated, must be used. For this purpose the present invention consists of a straight horizontal tube, the rear .end 'of which is always open. According to the invention a suitably constructed rotor serving as water inlet and as nonreturn means, is mounted in a casing arranged on the forward end of the reaction tube and fitting closely butwithout contact round the rotor, the free ends of its blades protruding downwardly into the water inlet channel situated beneath the revolving axle in such 'a manner as to close the entire cross-section of said channel in any position of the rotor. In consequence of the relative force of the current of the water through which the craft is being navigated, the rotor rotates continuously, whichrotation-is also retained vduring the expansion of the driving gas since the internal excess pressure in the reaction tube acts identically, that is, with equal moment. on the rotor blades which are entering and those which are leaving thereaction tube.

A reaction drive which uses a rotor has already been proposed in British Patent No. 242,525. 'I'his rotor, however is provided with gas chambers and receives its turning impulse in the chambers themselves through the exploding gas.

In this prior driving arrangement the water is also used to provide power within the rotor. This rotor thus forms an active part o1" the machine, which has to be capable of fulfilling or standing up to all mechanical and hydraulic requirements, whereas the rotor according to the present invention isconstructed as a purely passive inlet and non-return device.

The present invention further consists in that the reaction tube arranged in the flat keel of the craft partly or immediately above the plane of the keel is continued by a mould or rgroove provided in the keel of the craft corresponding in size and shape to the mouth of the reaction tube whereby the exhaust gases are forced to escape between the bottom surface of the craft and the surface of the water in as wide a stream or path as possible. In this way the surface friction is reduced to a minimum.

The invention isv illustrated by way of example of the craft taken on iinesaP-a, b-b,`c-c; and

df-d of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a furtherl constructional'form of the invention, partly in section.

The straight] reaction tube l, the rear end of whichis always open, is lodged in the fiat keel of the ,craft so that it lies partly or wholly above the plane of the kee'l or bottom of the vessel. The outlet 2 is preferably situated in the front part of the bottom of the vessel. The upper part of tube l is to some extent, continued by a mould or groove 3 gradually recessed into the flat bottom of the vessel. A suitable rotor 5 is rotatably mounted on a ilxed or loose axle l in a casing 6 arranged above the inlet il ofthe reaction tube l, said casing tting closely butwith the necessary play so as, to ensure' frictionless working. In this way the lower part of the blades enters thel reaction tube i in such a manner that it is caused to rotate continuously by reason of the force of the `current of the water through which the craft is being navigated. The rotor continues to4 rotate in this manner throughout the travel of the vessel and in this way causes no appreciable resistance to the water passing from front to .rearf of the reaction tube. On the other hand, during the expansion of the explosive gases the rotor 5 prevents the back flow of the gas in the reaction tube and is not affected; or hindered from rotating by the counterpressure.

In the constructional form depicted in Fig. 4, aplurality of reaction tubes l, l', i" are provided independently from each other on the craft, a casing 6 being arranged above the inlet of said reaction tubes. Three rotors 5, 5', 5" are mounted in said casing and engage each in a reaction tube in the manner described hereinbefore. The rotors 5, 5', 5 are rotatably 'mounted on a com-` mon axle 1' and separated from each other by the partitions 9. K

The compressor 4il) forces an explosive mixture through a valve into the explosion chamber Il.

/v/{Ihe valve 8 is opened at the moment when the in the bottom of the craft in continuation of said tube, said groove being rearwardly tapered downwardly to render it progressively shallower toward the rear end of the craft and the rear end of thereaction tube lying at a point well in advance of the rear end of said groove, a casing constituting an extension of the reaction tube, the major portion of which lies above the axis of said reaction tube, a freely rotatable rotor mounted in said casing and carrying blades which project downwardly into line with said reaction tube, a gas pressure generating and exploding means, and means for introducing said exploded gas into said tube, said gas reacting between the rotor and water passing through the tube to impel the craft, and means for admitting water to the forward part of said casing, the blades of the rotor being so disposed that the gases exert an equal turning moment thereon in both directions.

2. Reaction driving means for water craft comprising a. straight reaction tube mounted on the bottom of the craftlongitudinallythereof, the rearward end of said tube being open, a groove in the bottom of the craft in continuation of said tube, said groove being rearwardly tapered downwardly to render it. progressively s'hallower toward the rear end of the craft and the rear end of the reaction tube lying at a point well in ad- Vance of the rear end of said groove, a casing constituting an extension of the reaction tube. the major portion of which lies above the axis of said reaction tube, a freely rotatable rotor mounted in said casing and carrying blades which project downwardly into iine with said reaction tube, a. gas pressure generating and exploding means, and means for introducing said exploded gas into said tube, said gas reacting between the rotor and water passing through the tube to impel the craft, and means for admitting water to the forward part of said casing, the blades of the rotor being so disposed that the gases exert a. substantially equal turning moment thereon in both directions, said blades being of concavoconvex form with their concave sides facing forwardly as they pass through the lower portion of the casing and in the line of the reaction tube.

3. A structure as, recited in claim 1, wherein the point of entryof the gas into the tube is at the top of the tube and at a point adjacent the rotor.

4. Reaction driving means for water craft, comprising a straight reactiontube mounted on the bottom of the craft longitudinally thereof, a circular casing constituting an extenison of the reaction tube and disposed at the forward end thereof, the major portion of which lies above the axis of said reaction tube. a freely rotatable rotor mounted in said casing and conforming closely to the contour thereof, said rotor carrying blades which project downwardly into line with said reaction tube, a gas pressure generating and exploding means comprising a chamber for the explosion of gases, and means for conveying the expanded gases of combustion into the reaction tube at a'point adjacent the juncture of the tube and rotor casing, the blades of the rotor beingso shaped and positioned that the gases exert an equal turning moment thereon in both directions.

ANTON RYBA. 

